Four Generations

I thought I would take a page out of Grandma Jan's book and wrangle family members together for photos. Particularly 4 generation photos. The fruits of my labors are not perfect, (note Grandma Riggs' picture) but it was nice to take a moment and preserve a special thing like four generations being together.



Great Grandma Gamette, Grandpa Gamette, Momma, & Jacob



Great Grandma Riggs, Grandma Gamette, Momma, & Jacob (horrible quality I know, it's a long story...but look here for a beautiful picture of Grandma Riggs & Jacob.)



Great Grandpa Snow, Grandma Gamette, Momma, & Jacob



1st, 2nd & 4th generation chilling and looking cute.

Our Very Favorite Temple Square Missionary

We went to Temple Square and surprised Aunt Rachel when we were in Utah. Trust us, she had no idea. I even told a great big lie so she would be surprised. That's okay, right? Anyway, we truly had a blast seeing Rachel. She is such a wonderful missionary, a great companion, a powerful teacher, a lovely person and a great dresser. (Seriously, she looks sharp!)

Here she is after a bit of the shock wore off with her companion, Sister Park.



She took us on an official tour of Temple Square. She did such a great job, even though she claims she didn't. But, if she had a rough time I think I know why.



She had to teach Mom, Jana and myself who were busy with three kidlets who had been piled into Mom's car for an hour ride...



...and then put into varying degrees of "baby skrollas" to be driven around SLC.



Needless to say, we spent a lot of our time doing this while she shared her Gospel message.



But look at how beautiful and sincere she looks while she teaches. She invites the Spirit too!



She also points with two fingers. Which, according to Aunt Natalie, is the ONLY way Temple Square sisters point.



Rachel and I got to chat about lots of secret stuff. Sorry, I can't tell you about what.



She did a beautiful job particularly at this point of the tour. She really is a powerful misisonary.



More of the walking and the chasing and the oy! Jacob really enjoyed the Christus room, although he did try to sneak under the velvet rope a couple of times.



Jacob looks a bit rough, but he was having fun on some level.



Sister Supermodel!!!



Here's our whole group (minus Sister Park who took the picture) at the end of our tour.



Afterwards we enjoyed a lovely packed lunch. Doesn't it look like I should be lending Jana a hand? Some kind of sister I am!



Maddie loved the flowers.



Jacob learned a new dance move called "the fall", almost as famous as Daddy/Unkie Garrett's dance called "the bootie bounce".



And Jana and Gideon looked picturesque.



Lastly we stopped by the reflecting pools to look at the beautiful Salt Lake Temple.



For a moment, anyway.

"Ah, but I was so much older then...

...I'm younger than that now."

Why is it that Bob Dylan seems to sum up our life experiences with such poetry and insight?

But this is really true. Today Matt and I (Remember Jacob? This blog used to be about him, right?) are celebrating our third anniversary. And when I look at these pictures I realize just how "young" we are in this whole thing. We thought we really knew so much about eachother, marriage and life three years ago. In reality we've been pleasantly, and sometimes less than pleasantly, surprised by eachother, marriage and life many times since.

I'm so very grateful for Matt and the life we share. He is my wonderful husband, my truest of friends, and a really cute guy.

Enjoy some funny and sweet pictures from our wedding those many long (not to imply drudgery) years ago.



Matt said that I only picked this picture because you can seem my face and not his.



Not so, my dear Matt, not so.

Congra'chumalations

Being smart makes you look soooo good.

















We're so proud of our Machoo who passed level II of the CFA exam!!!!!

Wait, you don't know what CFA stands for? Here are some possibilities:

1. Cute Father Accreditation
2. Certified Financial Astronaut
3. Crimson Fan (of) Alabama
4. Chartered Financial Analyst
5. Cling Free Acrobat
6. Curly 'Fro-ed American

Now here's a hint.

He was so dedicated and focused in his studies from November until the exam in June. This was no small effort and he was totally up to the challenge. Like we would be surprised!

So I guess he's smart, cute, capable, and he's got great hair.

Please don't let Matt's accomplishment overshadow the fact that I posted a really cute blog today (found below).

Babies you can drive my car

Grandma and Grandpa Gamette have something that I really want...a red and yellow play car! Not only is it fun (and really cool looking) it also engenders sharing among cousins.

Behold the cuteness.



Gideon would fancy a ride too, by the looks of it.



Done and done.



A bit of a tight squeeze, but they're not afraid to get cozy.



Or to hold the door closed so their abundance of chub doesn't leak out.



Gideon had the wheel (and no room) for a while.



And then Jacob noticed the black thing that spins.



There's room for two on the wheel, right?



Can you believe someday they'll be grown men?



I can't quite yet.



Beep beep, beep beep, yeah!

Baby on a Plane

That's right readers, aside from this I believe that taking a baby on a plane by myself is my second greatest fear. A fear I faced on Friday. Here's a numeric recap of our aviation adventures.

2: The number of flights we took from the ATL to Las Vegas (from which Mom and Dad drove us to Provo after visiting family).

13: The number of zip lock bags I used to organize all the stu-zuff we carried onto the plane.

1: The number of sippies of milk that leaked.

2: The number of hours our second flight was delayed.

1: The number of "wings" the flight attendant gave us (I was so excited!)

4: The number of Baby Einstein movies Jacob, me, and the people behind us watched.

4 million three hundred ninety-two thousand: The number of steps Jacob took in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport.

1: The number of white pants Jacob spilled a cup-full of water on (note: the white pants were neither mine nor his...oops.)

3: The number of crying fits Jacob had.

1: The number of crying fits mommy had...during Jacob's third cry my tears (silently) flowed too.

43: The number of signs hanging in stores announcing that NO LIQUID WAS ALLOWED ABOARD THE PLANE (except baby liquids).

10: The number of areas in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport that Jacob sprinkled with finger foods (Cheerios, Veggie Puffs, and the like).

10: The number of times I walked right past those areas without picking anything up...they pay people to do that, so sue me!

15: The number of minutes Jacob slept on the plane (so cruel).

20: The number of consecutive hours I was awake on Friday.

742: The number of people who oohed and aahed over my cute baby boy.

Infinity: The number of times I was grateful that we were flying across the country instead of driving across the country. (shudder)

Infinity + 1: The number of times I was grateful for such a delightful, if not demanding, travel partner.

Old MacDonald had a farm and Jacob didn't really care

This week Jacob and I went to a "Wildlife Preserve" with some other moms and kids from the ward. I realized something very profound. Old southern men will sometimes rip you off. We thought kids under two or three would be free. Well, we thought wrong. The proprieter motored up in his golf cart and put the ol' charm on us until we asked him about prices.

The man said, "oh, kids under [large pause in which he sizes Jacob up] 1 year are free."

I said, "He's thirteen months. Do we need to pay?"

He said, "Unless you blindfold him you need to pay."

So much for southern hospitality.



I really don't think he EVER noticed that donkey.



But he did have a pretty intense staring match with this peacock that actually bit one of the little girls in our group.



I guess we paid for Jacob because there was one thing he was interested in. Not the cute little ponies (note the cluster of pony-loving girls in the background). Do you want to know what he found so much more interesting than these ponies?



Enthralling, huh?

Today's Discovery

Jacob's taken an interest in the piano.



He's learning how to read music and to master the ever-so-difficult "one hand playing, one hand turning" technique.



He really knows how to tickle those ivories. (Don't you hear them laughing?)



A pianist and a singer! Could this mother be any prouder? (Well, maybe if he could do that AND not throw his food on the floor. Then, I would be unrighteously proud of him.)



After what we've witnessed today we believe we've got a budding virtuoso on our hands.

Now that we got all of that bragging out of the way, LOOK AT HOW CUTE HIS FEET LOOK HANGING DOWN FROM THE PIANO BENCH!



Serious pig's trotters. Serious talented pig's trotters.